Tips for Pets with the Cone of Doom?

[Ms. Toad Esq.]

My poor, poor kitty managed to open the screen door, escaped, and got into a fight with another cat. She came home with a wound on her cheek and scratched it into an infection. Now after being treated the vet told me she has to wear a cone/plastic collar until her cheek heals completely - anywhere from 3-4 weeks!

Does anyone have any tips on making her more comfortable? She spends all day moping and trying to "back out" of the cone. I raised her food and water dishes off the floor and she's been eating and drinking a little, but is really unhappy and keeps bumping into objects. I thought she might adjust after a day or two but she's just as miserable as ever.

 

[Aisling]

We call it the cone of shame in our house.
My pup had to wear one when he was neutered and he kept bumping into everything and just looked so confused. After two days, I just took it off him and watched him so that he wouldn't lick the stitches. I sprayed Bitter Apple around the area so it repelled him from licking it.

 

[Ms. Toad Esq.]

Haha, cone of shame is very fitting, since she is not supposed to go outside! Hopefully she learns a lesson. Of course, that's giving her little cat brain way too much credit.

I'm afraid taking the cone off isn't an option. She scratches and rubs at the injury as soon as it's off for cleanings. We even tried a smaller one but she manages to bang it against walls and push it far enough back on her skinny neck that she can scratch at her cheek again. Too smart for her own good!

 

[phorsenuf]

He looks thrilled, huh? He kept forgetting that he couldn't go under chairs and such. His name is Mater and it's very fitting. LOL

(please excuse the mess in the background, we were remodeling.)

 

[Ms. Toad Esq.]

He looks thrilled, huh? He kept forgetting that he couldn't go under chairs and such. His name is Mater and it's very fitting. LOL

(please excuse the mess in the background, we were remodeling.)

That's about how my cat looks right now! She's been coned before but never for so long. I don't know how I am going to put up with three weeks of moping and constant pacing around the apartment trying to shake it off.

 

[brat]

My now 19 year old cat had wear his cone-of-frustration for 6 weeks back when he was 7.Poor guy was frustrated for the whole time he wore it, since cats understand where they are in space by feeling with their whiskers they are very upset with the cone.We learned it was a whisker thing because years later one of my Foster kids trimmed his whiskers with plastic kiddie sissors and for weeks we had him mopping around bumping into things till they grew back.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Feeling your cat's pain! Our dog had to wear one and I remember the dejected look.

Could you at least take it off for eating? Would she be so interested in the food she might not scratch?

At the time I wondered if our dog thought she'd just entered a completely new and permanent way of life!

 

[tomthebarncat]

I also remember my cat "Sassy" wearing hers, it was hard for her to be a menace with a cone on her head!

 

[mamamary]

My lab had to wear his cone for two weeks back in Dec. after a leg operation. I felt so bad for him. Because he is so big the cone was huge. Poor guy. No advice - we just helped him get around. Then a month later when he needed a second operation he had to use the cone again. This time I kept giving him breaks and i would take it off - well that was a bad idea because then he wasn't getting used to it. I should have just left it alone like I did the first time. My vet said the number one problem with after an operation is the pet parents who feel bad for the pet and take the cone off.

Hope your time goes by quickly.

 

[tomthebarncat]

My lab had to wear his cone for two weeks back in Dec. after a leg operation. I felt so bad for him. Because he is so big the cone was huge. Poor guy. No advice - we just helped him get around. Then a month later when he needed a second operation he had to use the cone again. This time I kept giving him breaks and i would take it off - well that was a bad idea because then he wasn't getting used to it. I should have just left it alone like I did the first time. My vet said the number one problem with after an operation is the pet parents who feel bad for the pet and take the cone off.
Hope your time goes by quickly.

I had this very conversation with my vet as we did the same thing. She then asked me how many years of vet schooling did I have and why was I wasting her time and my money, if I wasn't going to follow the medical treatment plan?? Point taken, I will shut up now and do as you say!

 

[mhsjax]

I had dogs growing up and then I had a couple of cats years and years ago. I never once had an animal with a cone. FF to now, we had our little guy neutered, and one went the cone. It wouldn't eat, eat wouldn't go outside and he couldn't sleep. He kept bumping into things. I took the stupid thing off and watched him. He was fine, only tried to lick 2 times and I fussed at him.

He healed perfectly and the vet never knew the difference. However, we also really didn't leave him during that time period. One one occasion we did, and the cone went on.

 

[MdmMim]

My cat had to wear one after surgery. She hated it, but she survived. I did decorate it with Mickey stickers though. (I think that helped!)

 

[torinsmom]

I had this very conversation with my vet as we did the same thing. She then asked me how many years of vet schooling did I have and why was I wasting her time and my money, if I wasn't going to follow the medical treatment plan?? Point taken, I will shut up now and do as you say!

I wouldn't go back to a vet who spoke to me like that. The vet isn't going to be the one who is driven crazy by an unhappy cat. And besides, if you have to take the cat back because it got infected again, he or she will make more $.

3-4 weeks seems ridiculous for a cut to heal. I have never had to put a cone on any of my pets and I don't think I could take it. I would try to keep it on a few days and then take it off at a time I could follow him around and watch to see what he does. Fill an soda can with coins and if he starts to lick it, shake the can, or squirt him with water, so he associates licking it with something negative.

 

[mhsjax]

I wouldn't go back to a vet who spoke to me like that. The vet isn't going to be the one who is driven crazy by an unhappy cat. And besides, if you have to take the cat back because it got infected again, he or she will make more $.

3-4 weeks seems ridiculous for a cut to heal. I have never had to put a cone on any of my pets and I don't think I could take it. I would try to keep it on a few days and then take it off at a time I could follow him around and watch to see what he does. Fill an soda can with coins and if he starts to lick it, shake the can, or squirt him with water, so he associates licking it with something negative.

Thank you. I was going to say the same thing. NO way would my vet talk to me like that. Now she could fuss at me, but I wouldn't put up with that attitude.

 

[tlbwriter]

They make soft cones now that seem like they'd be easier to deal with.

 

[mamamary]

They make soft cones now that seem like they'd be easier to deal with.

I actually purchased one of these cones from Petsmart (approx $40) before my labs surgery. I brought it with me the day of surgery and my surgeon told me that they weren't nearly as good as the cone he was going to provide me with - so I returned the softer cone and went with what the surgeon recommended since I figured he'd know best (and he wasn't charging me for the cone it was included with the surgery fee).

 

[tomthebarncat]

Thank you. I was going to say the same thing. NO way would my vet talk to me like that. Now she could fuss at me, but I wouldn't put up with that attitude.

Actually, I live in Europe where folks tend to translate in their head and then speak, I did not take offense as I am used to the directness of many Europeans. Only the Americans feel the need to sugar coat things, the rest of the world not so much, and I often on these boards get right to the point!

 

[marie1203]

With 7 animals we have so many cones of shame! I do not like the plastic ones because they tend to break easily if they have to wear them for a long period the softer ones seem to las longer and are less painful when they ran into you leg.

 

[mhsjax]

Actually, I live in Europe where folks tend to translate in their head and then speak, I did not take offense as I am used to the directness of many Europeans. Only the Americans feel the need to sugar coat things, the rest of the world not so much, and I often on these boards get right to the point!

I don't need sugar coating, but I won't tolerate rude either, and to me that was rude of her. Big difference.

I asked my vet about not wearing one and she told me that the dog needed to wear one or else he would pull his stitches out, and it could get infected or start bleeding, there was no sugar coating it was yes he does, end of discussion. There was never any mention of wasting time or questioning my education concerning being a vet. That was rude.

 

[dzorn]

have you not seen Up it is the cone of shame!

Hope you kitty is getting better.

Denise in MI